In disc drives, and in particular in disc drives which can accept a cartridge containing a disc which can be used to store information, there is a requirement that read/write heads be loaded onto the disc so that the data transfer process can begin. This loading operation needs to be accomplished in an accurate and smooth manner so that neither the heads nor the disc is damaged as the head loading proceeds.
Generally in prior art devices, head loading has been accomplished through mechanical devices using springs, levers, dash pots and the like in order to allow the heads to be successfully loaded onto the disc without damage to either the heads or the disc.
However, with such mechanical devices, there is no mechanism provided for determining the velocity of the loading process or for altering that velocity so that it is optimal. This is in contrast to the ability of disc drives with servo systems to determine the velocity and position of the head once the head has actually been loaded onto the disc, so that the heads can read the servo information.
With some prior art devices using, for example, glass scales, it is possible to know the position and velocity of a head even though the head is not loaded onto the disc, as the glass scale is generally associated with the head actuator and not the disc. Thus as the actuator urges the head from an unloaded to a loaded position, the glass scale can determine both the velocity and position of the head.